ABFEs will be available to communities in these New Jersey counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union, according to FEMA.

In New York state, ABFEs will be available to communities in the Bronx, Kings, New York, Richmond, Queens and Westchester counties, according to FEMA.

In most cases, ABFEs will show higher flood elevations than current flood insurance rate maps, according to the fact sheet.

“As communities begin to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy, it is important to recognize lessons being learned and to employ mitigation actions that ensure structures are rebuilt stronger, safer, and less vulnerable to future flooding events,” the fact sheet states.

“Property and business owners should check with their local building official to fully understand any requirements for using ABFEs in rebuilding efforts,” according to the fact sheet.

Before Sandy, FEMA, which oversees the National Flood Insurance Program[4], was restudying areas of the New Jersey and New York coastlines to update flood insurance rate maps, according to the fact sheet.

Updated maps were to be provided to state and local officials in mid-2013. But since maps for these areas were developed more than 25 years ago and updated maps are yet to be finalized, it is vital to provide ABFEs to support reconstruction efforts, according to the fact sheet.

Data layers and maps for these areas will be available through FEMA Region II’s coastal website – www.Region2Coastal.com[5] – next month, according to FEMA. The information will also provide guidance to inform federal, state and local officials and help them make informed decisions about rebuilding.

Communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System[6] can receive credit for adopting higher standards, resulting in premium discounts for policyholders in high-risk areas, according to the fact sheet.

The federal Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012[7] calls for the National Flood Insurance Program to eliminate flood insurance subsidies and discounts and to boost rates to reflect actual flood risks. The law may have a significant future impact on rates for properties that don’t meet requirements, and properties that don’t meet future base flood elevations will see significant premium increases, according to the fact sheet.

The information used to develop the ABFEs will be part of what’s used to update flood insurance rate maps. Insurance premium rates will not rise and purchase mandates will not apply until the revised base flood elevations have been reviewed, commented on and adopted by local governments, according to the fact sheet.

Communities are urged to use ABFEs to rebuild stronger and safer, reducing vulnerability to future floods, according to the fact sheet.